


Home is Family

by Merfilly



Series: Growing Up Jedi [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Force Visions, Gen, Minor Character(s), Mystery Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 17:15:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8293640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Galen opens up about what he saw.





	

The incoming ship was highly anticipated, bringing home missing family members. Anakin was standing at the forefront near the landing pad, his daughter at his side, under an arm. To the side, Ahsoka leaned on the low wall separating the pad from the garrison buildings while Rex stood at parade rest near her. 

She wondered if he would ever break that habit, then shook away the thought. Of course he wouldn't; Rex was military to his core.

Obi-Wan and Cody were both there since he hadn't seen his future Padawan in over two years, having been busy with missions near the Separatist borders. The 501st was hosting the members of the 212th that had been with the general and commander, on this layover before they went home to their brothers and families on Stewjon.

The ship opened, and security filed off first, heading straight for the garrison, before they could see Padmé, resplendent even in traveling garb, had her son flanking one side, and Galen Marek on the other. Ahsoka craned her head around… and saw Mara bringing up the rear. 

Anakin didn't wait for them to clear the ramp fully, catching his wife up even as the more sedate Leia arrived to pull Luke under one arm and take Galen's hand to welcome him. It amused Ahsoka to see Leia practicing her state-craft like that, but she rolled her eyes when the kissing between her former master and his wife went on and on and on. She came off the low wall though as her daughter reached them, taking in the vibrant singing of the new lightsaber at her hip.

"What, only one?" she teased, which made Mara roll her eyes in perfect mimicry of her mother.

"Some of us don't need to be extra in everything we do?" the daughter said, before hugging her father fiercely. "Hey, Dad. Wolffe says you ought to come back with me, and help him with the training regimen for the Coruscanti Guard."

"Kriff no! Is that what he got stuck doing while Master Plo leads the Order? Poor vod."

"I've managed to see him and Keelie more than Master Plo," Mara said. "And he looks like he's enjoying harassing the Guard." She let go of her dad and moved to Ahsoka, which meant getting hugged in that particular way that was all pounce and squeeze forever. 

"I'm sure Plo's very busy, but you know he will make time for anyone that needs him," Ahsoka reminded, once she settled back on her own heels in her space to look down at her daughter. "Come on; your uncles will want to see you, and since we're supposed to go to the house for dinner tonight, that means garrison for now."

"Alright, Mom." Mara tucked under her dad's arm, while Ahsoka rested a hand on her back, and they went on down into the living quarters of the 501st, even as Anakin was taking the rest of the family home.

+++

Mara watched as Galen came away from his silence, slowly engaging with Leia about his pursuits, and answering questions from Anakin and Ahsoka about life in his enclave. The longer he was in the relaxed atmosphere of the Naboo Enclave, the more at peace he seemed to be, and that was exactly what Mara had wanted.

She hadn't told any of the adults about the visions, and that alone was working in Galen's favor.

She hadn't expected to wind up volunteering to take him out for spear fishing on the lake, but Luke had pointed out she was the best one at it, and Ahsoka had somewhere else to be the next day.

So, before dawn, Mara found herself with gear in hand at the skimmer. Galen yawned, joining her with gear borrowed from Leia. He climbed in the skimmer, and soon they were off for one of the smaller islands to use as a base to do the spear-fishing from.

"Why'd you invite me?"

The blunt question took Mara off-guard. "Luke did."

"Because you asked him to." Galen looked at her as they sped over the water surface. "Is it that vision? What did you see that made you so interested in me?"

Mara glanced over, knowing her planet well-enough to change focus. "Mine and Luke's were very similar, Galen. Ending with me killing him," she said, matter-of-fact about the whole thing. "But neither of us saw you. And I worry, because I found my vision terrifying. Family is everything to me; I was raised by a Vod and a Togruta," she told him. "If you had something like that, I want you to know you're not alone."

Galen turned that over in his head, considering until they got to the small island. He was quiet through unloading, and changing into scuba. She gave him all the safety instructions, letting the conversation slide, before she guided him into the water to go find something worth bringing home.

That he had opened up a little was a positive thing. Maybe, before the Festival ended, she'd know what he had seen, and help him soothe the pains it had caused him.

+++

"I appreciate you coming to speak with me, Master," the Knight began, choosing her words carefully. 

The Master crossed his arms, and held his patience as a shield. It was all he could do, as his recent journey had only reinforced his belief that a crisis was waiting to erupt. To speak with this Knight now, at her request, just after his return to the Temple felt like a warning in itself.

"Go ahead," he invited.

"It's about Initiate Tano…"

+++

Galen knocked briefly on the open door, then slipped inside, when Mara motioned him forward, not stopping her practice of balancing multiple objects.

She missed his appreciative look for her ability to use a hand to wave at him, and not drop the multitude of small objects. Carefully, those objects started shipping home to a shelf unit that seemed to be designed for them. She put the last one back, turning just in time to see the smile on his lips, and she blushed a little. She tried hard not to show off, but fine manipulation with small objects was easily as important as being able to pull a wall down with the Force.

"Hi," she finally said, and he took a deep breath.

"It's not one person. It's hundreds. Maybe more than that," Galen said, before he sank down on the end of her bed, and Mara sat next to him. "But it starts with this man in armor killing my father…"

He talked, slowly, and Mara listened, slowly seeing that the man in armor was the same menace at the edges of her vision, the one that had never spoken in Luke's but had been a driving force for him in his. The armored man was the common theme, as a teacher and betrayer in Galen's, a menace in hers, and the bait luring Luke on in his.

The question now was who that man actually was. Or, as Mara weighed Knight Offee's words once more, was he merely the lure for them all to see something larger?


End file.
